Early Russia

Swedish Vikings (mostly acting as traders) were the first to settle in the land we know today as Russia. These vikings took over the Baltic Sea and built numerous trading towns including Kiev, Visby, and Novogrod. After this, they sailed down Russia's many rivers, on the way meeting many traders who were Bulgar, Khazar, Byzantine and Arab. Around the year 1000 C.E. the Vikings were settled down and their homelands in the west ended up becoming nations of Christianity. This migration, had an instrumental effect in the development of Europe. For example, the Vikings had established trade routes and towns, founded Russia and greatly influenced many northern and western countries. All in all these Viking raiders were key in that their actions were what eventually established Medeival Europe and the feudal system. The Black Death reached Southern Russia in 1345 C.E. and Norhtern Russia in 1349 C.E. Now in very generic detail the Black Death, began as bubonic plague and went on to kill about 25 million people in Europe and many millions more in Asia and it devasted everywhere it reached, including Russia.

Russia

(1462 C.E.-1613 C.E.)

Russia became a group of small principaities, consisting of Novogorod, Smolensk, Kiev, and Vladimir, after the decline of Kiev around the year 1060 C.E. However, this system was completely changed when the Mongols invaded in 1238 C.E. Led by Batu Khan, the "Khanate of the Golden Horde (or Tartars) had complete control over Russia by forcibly demanding money and soldiers as tribute. In order to stay on good terms with the Mongols, however, the Russians complied. (*Note Kiev was part of Lithuania during a time in the 1300's C.E.). However, Prince Daniel became ruler of Moscow in 1263 C.E., and he slowly began to expand his territories, causing Moscow to gradually dominate all the other Russian states. Finally in 1380 C.E., the Muscovites defesated th

Ivan III (1440 C.E.-1505 C.E.) a.k.a. Ivan The Great: The first ruler of all Russia

e Golden Horde (Tartars). However, the Tartars kept on raiding Moscow and demanding tribute until 1480 C.E. This was when Ivan III (Ivan the Great) finally defeated them. Ivan III had come to the thron of Moscow in 1462 C.E. He worked hard to expand Moscow and gave the Moscovites a sense of pride. He even introduced a new legal code and declared himself the "ruler of all Russia," making him the first ruler of all of Russia. Ivan married Sophia, who was the niece of the last Byzantine emperor, in 1472 C.E. He also appointed himself "the protector of the Eastern Orthodox Church, calling Moscow "the third Rome."" Ivan III worked hard on conquering all the other Russian states, and by 1480 C.E., he had even brought Novogrod and numerous other cities under his powerful control. One of Ivan's most "monumental" contributions to Russian history was that he rebuilt Moscow's famous "Kremlin (citadel)" and made Moscow Russia's capital. The Kremlin consists of a fort, numerous churches, cathedrals, and palaces, surrounded by a large wall. The Kremlin came to represent the power of the czars and also became the center of Moscow. After Ivan III died in 1505 C.E., he was succeeded by his son, Vasili III. Vasili ruled until 1533 C.E., when he was succeeded by Ivan IV, his son, who was only three years old. Ivan IV ("Ivan The Terrible") became the Grand Prince of Moscow in 1533 C.E., ruling up to 1584 C.E. However, unlike Ivan III and Vasili III before him, Ivan was crowned as the first czar, or emperor in 1547 C.E. Like his nickname suggests, Ivan had a hard upbringing, leaving him with an unpredictable and violent character. Suprisingly however, his nickname meant "awe-inspiring" rather than what most people think: "terrible". Like his grandfather, Ivan IV improved the legal system and reformed trading links with many European countries, such as England. This helped Russia expand its trade, because up until then, Russia had been totally isolated. Next, again like his grandfather, he captrued more territory, including the Tartars' territories of Kazan and Astrakhan, thus moving Russia's borders toward Siberia. In fact, the famous St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow was built to celebrate Ivan The Terrible's conquering of Kazan and Astrakhan in the east. It was built between 1555 C.E. and 1560 C.E. and became one of the major centers of the Ortodox faith.

Portrait of Ivan IV (1530-1584) a.k.a. Ivan The Terrible

One of Ivan's most strategic acts was to reduce the power of the boyars (the nobility). He did this by creating a type of secret police, to tighten his control over the country. Ivan IV's acts set numerous patterns for the future; for example, he established a strong central government under the czars. Sadly, Ivan IV killed his son and consequently heir, Ivan, in a fit of anger in 1581 C.E.; thus Ivan "was succeeded by his second son, Fyodor, who was mentally unstable." Ivan IV passed in 1584 C.E. and until Fyodor died in 1598 C.E., Boris Godunov ruled as regent. After Fyodor died, Boris declared himself czar, even thought their was much opposition from the boyars. Under Boris' rule, foreign trade was promoted and the Swedes, who were seeking to invade Russia, were defeated. Russia entered a civil war after Boris' death in 1605 C.E., lasting eight years as numerous rival forces fought for the Russian throne. Finally, Mikhail Romanov (1596 C.E.-1645 C.E.), Ivan IV's great-nephew, gained the throne in 1613 C.E. He ruled Russia as czar for approximately thirty years, and was the first of the Romanov dynasty, which ruled Russia until 1917 C.E.